It is long overdue, but we must talk about one of the most delicious vendors in the entire Union Square Greenmarket, Martin’s Pretzels. I almost always buy some pretzels when I walk buy – they are just too good to pass up. I agree with this author’s take – they ARE pretty much addictive!

In a unique twist on the New Business of the Week, I want to feature the hottest, newest, underground restaurant/food delivery service in Manhattan – “Bread.Butter.Cheese.” (Phone number is 917.727.6643) If you can’t tell what the cuisine is by the name, it’s the new-school Grilled Cheese sandwich!

Started by a young upstart chef (and actually one of my good friends from College), each day there is a new type of Grilled Cheese that he hand delivers throughout the area. Although he is based in the East Village, it’s just a hop, skip and a jump from Union Square. Check out a couple pictures of “the goods”…

As the summer begins to wind down and thoughts of Autumn come to our mind, the Harvest is one of the themes. I bet you’re thinking I’m going to highlight Union Square’s immensely succesful, Harvest in the Square, right?!?! Nope… I’m talking about Sukkah City – NYC 2010.

The sukkah is a temporary structure, outlined in the Bible, to share food, drink and entertainment. Only Sunday, September 19th through Tuesday September 21st, 12 radically temporary structures will be built in Union Square!

Tomorrow is Thursday, so it’s time for the Summer in the Square update – August 5th, 2010.

There is plenty to do in the morning, afternoon and evening, so try to make it out to the park for at least one of the events. As a big music fan, I love to catch the artist of the week…. this week it’s Andy Mac.

Begin your day at 7:00 AM with the Basics of Running 101, followed by an All Levels Yoga Class with Prana Power at 8:00 AM. Both classes are presented in partnership with lululemon athletica. Then at 9:00 AM, burn off some major calories with Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp’s Low Impact Cardio Class.

Join Yogi Beans in our new playground at 10:00 AM for Mommy & Me Yoga, followed by Fati & Charles at 12:00 PM, performing songs in Spanish that will have your whole family salsa dancing. Also, make sure to stop by the Baby Loves Disco tent to chill out and score some great giveaways.

Don’t be fooled by Mariella Pizza’s appearance – it may look like a run of the mill NYC pizza shop, but it is so much more!! Mariella Pizza is located on the corner of 16th Street and 3rd Avenue (180 3rd Avenue) http://www.mariellapizzanyc.com/main.html.

Apart from great pizza, Mariella has great-tasting, classic Italian food. Don’t expect anything fancy from this Union Square restaurant, but their large menu features every major Italian dish and I’ve yet to be disappointed!

At 7:00 AM, get a jump start on your day with the Basics of Running 101, followed by an All Levels Yoga Class with YogaWorks at 8:00 AM. Both classes are presented in partnership with lululemon athletica. And at 9:00 AM, join New York City’s toughest workout with Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp for a Low Impact Cardio Class.

Kids head on over to the new playground for Yogi Beans’ Mommy & Me Yoga at 10:00 AM. Then at 12:00 PM, come boogie with DJ Mikey of The Rub and Emcee Tah when Baby Loves Disco takes center stage in the South Plaza. Visit the Chill Zone for a goody bag while supplies last, courtesy of H&M, Plum Organics, Cleanwell, Snikiddy, Babylegs and more.

At 4:30 PM, the series ramps up with a musical review showcasing the cast of Million Dollar Quartet, nominated for three TONY awards this year including Best Musical. The evening ends on a high note with Danni Rosner’s organic pop performance at 6:00 PM.

It’s supposed to be a bright, beautiful day, so ENJOY SUMMER IN THE SQUARE!!!!!!!

According the Coalition for the Homeless briefing paper by Patrick Markee, Senior Policy Analyst, NYC homeless shelter population has reached an all-time high. There are over 39,000 homeless people and 10,000 homeless families in shelters each night.